Jeep GC WJ Driveshaft Seals

[psychoR1]

Need to repalce the seals at the hub carrier end of the NS driveshaft.

I think to change its a case of jack up, remove brake, four bolts to remove shaft retaing plate and then pull out using a puller or slide hammer. Crack the interference fit washer off, remove bearing and seal and then press the new one in place.

I know one of you helpful chaps has done this before - where is the best place to get the parts, bearing seal and retaining ring and is it worth putting sealant on the end plate before bolting it up?

[scrwright]

never done the rear on a D44a, done a few D35's though. Check the price with a jeep strealership for mopar parts before you buy, some stuff they are cheap for. Otherwise lighthouse jeep in Diss or ebay.com for me.

[psychoR1]

Now done - 2hrs labour plus parts..
Parts needed were both sets brake shoes, seal, wheel bearing and retainer ring - all about £80 in parts plus the labour.

[pcn1]

I think I need to do this on my GC.
Did you find a online task description, or just pull it apart as you went ?

Thanks

[psychoR1]

Theres a how to video on utube and some guides on jeepforum etc search 'Jeep WJ rear axle seal'

Basically jack up, remove wheel, disc caliper etc, disc, four bolts on backside of hub plate, then pull out halfshaft using a slide hammer. With the stub axle out you need to remove retaining collar which is a drill and hammer job to break it (or disc cutter) then remove and replace seal and bearing and push on new retainer ring and refit with new disc pads and shoes.

I got all of the parts from jeepchryslerparts - have your VIN No to hand when you call to order and they will check the part number - order by phone to save on postage - they advertise on ebay too.
http://www.jeepchryslerparts.co.uk/

Top up diff oil afterwards if needed and dont forget friction modifier for the diff if its a quadradrive...

[dome]

What symptoms did yours have? I've got a road speed related noise coming from the rear end of my WJ, most noticeable between 30 and 50. It goes away on corners, both left and right so is difficult to diagnose.

[psychoR1]

Mine was just wear and tear and the seal failing on the NSR - probably due to Mrs R1's habit of clipping curbs....

If the seal starts to leak the dif oil comes out and coats the hand brake shoes which operate a drum brake arrangement inside the bell housing of the rear disc assembly.

Sadly you cant replace the seal without replacing the bearing.

For your symptoms is there any play in the bearings - if not it maybe worth changing the diff oil just to see if its actually the diff itself - sorry maybe not too much help but all I can suggest.

I guess if you pull the halfshaft you should be able to tell if there is any harshness in the bearing.

Personally I always find wheel bearings hard to diagnose which side....

[dome]

There is a tiny bit of end float in the hub, maybe 1-2mm when I tug on the disc. American sites say this is normal tho? I will change the diff fluid, the rear one is the only one I've not done. The noise is barely noticeable at motorway speeds which made me think it wasn't a bearing. There's no signs of fluid leaks.

[pcn1]

I had an advisory on my last MOT, hard to discribe this, but if you look under the jeep into the back of the wheel the plate you see is covered in dry oil/dirt, a sign something is leaking a bit ???

[psychoR1]

Could be but my backing plate was soaked in oil and handbrake shoes were done.
If yours drives ok, backing plate is dry and diff oil is up to level then I wouldn't go l wouldn't go looking for trouble...

[pcn1]

psychoR1 said:

Could be but my backing plate was soaked in oil and handbrake shoes were done.
If yours drives ok, backing plate is dry and diff oil is up to level then I wouldn't go l wouldn't go looking for trouble...

Sounds good advice !
I'll clean it off and keep an eye on it, see if any fresh oil is leaking. I changed the diff oil about 2 weeks ago so the levels are good.

[psychoR1]

dome said:

There is a tiny bit of end float in the hub, maybe 1-2mm when I tug on the disc. American sites say this is normal tho? I will change the diff fluid, the rear one is the only one I've not done. The noise is barely noticeable at motorway speeds which made me think it wasn't a bearing. There's no signs of fluid leaks.

I didnt check end float but I would expect a tiny amount tbh.

Regarding the noise - tbh I spent the first 10k miles being paranoid about various transmission noises on ours. Its now done well over 30k for us and I've concluded that its just noisey anyway. All of the fluids have been changed: F&R Diffs, Transfer box, Auto box. The only one that made a difference was the rear diff - which suffered from LSD 'chatter' in tight turns before fresh oil and friction modifier.

Now its OK but certainly not silent...

[dublove]

I replaced one of my rear axle seals about 2 months ago. Easy peasy.

Wheel off, then put the wheel nuts back to keep the disc still.
brake pads out
calliper off and tied out the way.
disconnect handbrake cables from under the rear seat.
wind the brake shoes in through the slot at the back of the hub (if you don't they will twist as you pull the disc off and it'll get stuck)
remove the bolts at the back holing the hub plate on.
attach hub puller and then slide hammer it and the driveshaft will come out.
cold chisel the bearing retaining ring off.
I then took mine to a local engine shop and had them press the new bearing and retaining ring on for a tenner.
Then refit in reverse sans slide hammer...
Top up oil.


I got mine from jeepchryslerparts like physcoR1. Cost about £40 BUT worth asking for the Timkin bearing as much better quality!


OH, if your hand brake shoes have oil on/in them soak them in Meths for an hour or so, then light the meths, and the oil will kinda seep out and burn off! I did it in stages little bit at a time, remove some of the meths so the burn is maybe only about 3 minutes before extinguishing then let them cool down before soaking them again.